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Home Archives for PPC

2/7/2026 By Ben 4 Comments

The Deadline Approaches: Time to Send a Message with Your Money

We're two days away from the close of the political fundraising quarter. And maybe you've been getting harassed by the same amount of emails and other contacts as I have, urging you to give before the next reports come out. But I'll repeat it, too: If you have a clear favorite in one or more of Colorado's Republican primary races or you just want to tell the NRSC and Washington bigwigs to take a hike, nothing sends a message like a campaign donation. If you're like me, you aren't going to come close to making the max contribution ($1,050 for governor and other statewide races, or $4,800 for U.S. House and U.S. Senate). But if you want to earn the right to complain, you ought to put your money where your mouth is. A multitude of 10 … [Read more...]

Filed Under: clean government, Colorado Politics, General, liberty, My Life, National Politics, PPC

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

Covering Government Health Care Stories North of the Border

Some of my Independence Institute colleagues have taken the show north of the border, organizing a conference to introduce journalists to the real-life stories of Canadians adversely affected by their government health care system's painfully long waiting lists. Great coverage in the Los Angeles Times (shock!) and Washington Times. For more, the prolific Gateway Pundit has been live-blogging the event -- he also has conducted a compelling video interview (or two) of Canadian health care horror stories. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: clean government, General, Health Care, liberty, National Politics, PPC, property rights

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

Idea for Michigan’s Budget Impasse: Stop Harassing Baby-Sitting Moms

Creating a little 2007 deja vu, the state of my nativity has officially shut down non-essential government operations as Republicans and Democrats bicker over the budget and a daunting $2.8 billion deficit. Welcome to Fiscal Year 2010: Oh Michigan, my Michigan... It won't solve the impasse by itself, but one part of the state budget that could be chopped is the Department of Human Services, at least the office that harasses moms who watch neighbor kids for a half hour a day while they're waiting to catch the school bus. Sheesh! … [Read more...]

Filed Under: clean government, Fiscal Policy, General, liberty, My Life, PPC

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

Keep Pressure on Michael Bennet Against Very Costly Obama Care Plan

Next week Congress goes back into session. The public passion and heat of the townhall meetings goes away, and attention once again drifts back to Washington, DC. As that happens, though, Coloradans still need to remain engaged and informed. As the Patient Power blog explains, a new report published by the Independence Institute (my employer) highlights one major downside of the current Obama Care proposal:The study concludes that President Obama’s health care reform agenda will cost $4,156 per Colorado resident in additional federal and state expenditures over the next 10 years. In addition, the proposed government health care expansion will reduce economic growth in Colorado by 4.3% through 2019. In other words, an economic … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, Fiscal Policy, General, Health Care, Labor, liberty, My Life, National Politics, PPC

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

Bill Ritter Changing Tune on Harmful Energy Policies Simply Not Enough

Is Bill Ritter really going to backtrack on all the damage he's done on the energy arena? Or is it just lip service? From yesterday's Grand Junction Sentinel:Natural gas is “where the Western Slope is going to sing” in Ritter’s effort to build a new energy economy, said Don Marostica, director of the Office of Economic Development and International Trade. He spoke to an audience at the Business Incubator Center. Ritter is “very interested” in using natural gas as a clean source of power for electricity generation and no longer views it merely as a “bridge fuel” to an economy fueled only by solar, wind and renewable fuels, Marostica said. [link added] Showing one reason why he is the strongest candidate to challenge the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: clean government, Colorado Politics, Energy, General, PPC

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

Watch Michele Bachmann’s Rousing Independence Institute Remarks

At a well-attended Monday Independence Institute event, Minnesota Congresswoman Michele Bachmann gave a rousing speech about the rapidly growing specter of socialism coming from Washington DC, and how liberty-loving Coloradans can fight back. Lefty blogs have fixated their derision on one comment, prompting the Peoples Press Collective's El Presidente to respond: "Stay classy, lefties." Those who want to see the context of Bachmann's full speech and Q-and-A session can find the videos posted on Jon Caldara's blog. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: clean government, Fiscal Policy, General, Health Care, liberty, My Life, National Politics, PPC

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

Michael Bennet to the Left of Barack Obama on Government Health Care?

There's little doubt that the respective positions are primarily being driven by anything other than political convenience, but recent events appear to have pushed Colorado's appointed U.S. Senator Michael Bennet further to the Left on health care than Barack Obama. Yes, let me repeat that: Michael Bennet has moved further Left than Obama on health care, essentially because the junior senator is eagerly talking about pushing the U.S. toward a government health care takeover while the President is at least backing away from the term "public option". Yes, the differences are largely semantic (the co-op idea is basically the "public option" with a different name), but also very telling about what to expect from Congress in the rest of … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, Fiscal Policy, General, Health Care, liberty, National Politics, PPC

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

Reality vs. Obama’s Reality on Competing Health Care Debate Ideas

Healthcare Horserace has obtained possession of the talking points memo the Obama White House is sending out to Congressional Democrats in preview of his big speech next Wednesday. As Ellen Carmichael correctly assesses:Critics of President Obama’s health care reform agenda argue that the White House will again prove during next week’s press conference that they are relying upon vague platitudes instead of concrete proposals. But there's also one specific talking point that demonstrates to me that the President is either willfully, stubbornly ignorant, or just so arrogant as to believe that most of America isn't paying attention to the debate. The White House memo says:· After this speech, opponents of health reform will need to … [Read more...]

Filed Under: clean government, Fiscal Policy, General, Health Care, liberty, National Politics, PPC

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

Ending Federal Funding of ACORN is Cause We Should All Rally Around

Wednesday Quick Hit: On some issues there's plenty of room for debate and disagreement, but it seems to me that terminating federal taxpayer funding of ACORN is a cause we all should be able to rally around. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: clean government, Fiscal Policy, General, Labor, liberty, National Politics, PPC

2/7/2026 By Ben 1 Comment

Obama Care Update: Jared Polis Hedging His Bets on Medical Tourism?

Update: Tying the knot complete on this post, Jared Polis (along with fellow Colorado Democrat Diana Degette) was one of the 75 members of the U.S. House who voted today against ending taxpayer funding of ACORN. Based on original research, Complete Colorado's Todd Shepherd brings forward some interesting insights on Boulder Democrat Congressman Jared Polis' personal financial stake in the "medical tourism" industry and his strong political support for increased government intervention in the health insurance market:But here's the rub: Jared Polis has made a long-term bet on the worldwide success of health care markets that have less regulation rather than more. Draw any conclusion you like, but there is no escaping the fact that … [Read more...]

Filed Under: clean government, Colorado Politics, General, Health Care, liberty, National Politics, PPC

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About Me

Ben DeGrow
Grateful and growing Christian, devoted husband and father of 3, public policy analyst, returned to Michigan by way of Colorado, conservative writer, lifelong learner, Detroit Tigers fan.

Recent Posts

  • AI-Enhanced Cyberbullying: The Dark Side of Teen Innovation
  • My Baker’s Dozen of Top 2023 Reads
  • Common Learning Disabilities in Children
  • Tips to Teach Kids to Set and Achieve Goals
  • The Christmas Music Countdown You’ve Been Looking For: 2022 Edition

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bendegrow-at-gmail.com

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